GCSE Maths Revision | Algebra

Arithmetic Sequences - Worksheet

Skill
Group A - Continuing sequences
Write the next 3 terms of each arithmetic sequence:
1) 7, 14, 21, 28, ... 2) 3, 7, 11, 15, ... 3) 24, 21, 18, 15, ...

4) 5, 3, 1, − 1, ... 5) − 2, − 5, − 8, ... 6) − 20, − 17, − 14, ...

7) 2. 5, 2. 7, 2. 9, ... 8) 6. 25, 6. 15, 6. 05, ... 9) − 1. 5, − 3, − 4. 5, ...

Group B - Find missing numbers

Fill in the missing numbers for each arithmetic sequence:
1) 5, 7, ..., ..., 13 2) 3, 8, ..., ..., 23 3) 19, 15, ..., ..., 3

4) 4, 1, ..., − 5, ... 5) ..., 5, 12, 19, ... 6) ..., − 1, 1, ..., 5

7) 36, ..., 54, ..., 72 8) 0. 05, ..., 0. 09, ...., ... 9) ..., ..., − 3. 4, ..., − 4. 2

Group C - Generating sequences

Generate the first 5 terms for each arithmetic sequence:
1) 3𝑛 2) 4𝑛 + 1 3) 5𝑛 − 3

4) 2 + 𝑛 5) 2𝑛 − 10 6) 0. 5𝑛

7) 2. 5𝑛 + 1 8) 4 − 𝑛 9) 8 − 3𝑛

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 GCSE Maths Revision | Algebra

Arithmetic Sequences - Worksheet

Applied

1) The first 5 terms in a sequence are 4, 7, 10, 13, 16.

(a) Show that the number 38 does not appear in the sequence.

(b) David says “the 10𝑡ℎ term in the sequence is 40 as 4 × 10 = 40”. Is David correct?
Explain your answer.

(c) The 100𝑡ℎ term is 301. What is the value of the 98𝑡ℎ term?

2) The first term in a sequence is 2𝑎 − 𝑏. The fifth term in the same sequence is 10𝑎 − 5𝑏.

(a) Calculate the 8𝑡ℎ term in the sequence.

(b) Write an expression for the sum of the first 5 terms in the sequence.

(c) When 𝑎 = 5 and 𝑏 =− 2, calculate the product of the first and second terms of the
sequence.

3) Let 𝑇 represent a sequence where 𝑇 = 2𝑛 + 1.

(a) Complete the table for the values to generate the first 5 terms of the sequence of 𝑇.

𝑛 1 2 3 4 5

(b) Represent the sequence 𝑇 = 2𝑛 + 1 on a set of axes.

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GCSE Maths Revision | Algebra

Arithmetic Sequences - Exam Questions

1) 𝑡ℎ
The 𝑛 term of a sequence is 4𝑛 + 5.

(a) State the first 5 terms of the sequence.

….……………
(2)

(b) Is 100 a term in the sequence?

Show how you calculate your answer.

….……………
(2)
(4 marks)

2) Here are the first four terms of an arithmetic sequence:

2, 7, 12, 17

Here are the first five terms of another arithmetic sequence:

− 4, − 1, 2, 5, 8

Find two numbers that are in both number sequences.

….……………
(2 marks)

3) The first four terms of an arithmetic sequence are: 3, 7, 11, 15.

𝑡ℎ
The 20 term of the number sequence is 79.

(a) 𝑡ℎ 𝑠𝑡
What is the sum of the 19 and 21 terms?

….……………
(2)

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 GCSE Maths Revision | Algebra

Arithmetic Sequences - Exam Questions

(b) Alma says

𝑡ℎ
“the 30 term is 110 as I multiplied the third term by 10.”

Is Alma correct? Yes or no? Explain your answer.

….……………
(2)
(4 marks)

4) Here are the first 5 terms in a sequence:

1, − 5, − 11, − 17, − 23

Emily says,

“− 100 is not a number in this sequence”.

Explain why Emily is correct.

….……………
(1 mark)

5) Here are some patterns made up of different coloured sweets.

(a) In the space below, draw Pattern 5.

….……………
(1)

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GCSE Maths Revision | Algebra

Arithmetic Sequences - Exam Questions

(b) Each blue sweet is worth 20𝑝. Each yellow sweet is worth 15𝑝.
How much would it cost to create Pattern 5 only?

….……………
(3)
(4 marks)

6) A basketball match is planned to take place in a large stadium.

The most expensive tickets are in the first row. The ticket price
for each row forms an arithmetic series. The first four rows are
shown in the following table.

Row Number 1 2 3 4

Price Per Seat £50 £47. 50 £45 £42. 50

(a) Write down the common difference, 𝑑.

….……………
(1)

(b) 𝑡ℎ
Calculate the price of a ticket in the 8 row.

….……………
(2)

(c) Find the total cost of buying 2 tickets on row

2 and 5 tickets on row 6.

….……………
(3)
(6 marks)

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 GCSE Maths Revision | Algebra

Arithmetic Sequences - Answers

Question Answer

Skill Questions

Group A Write the next 3 terms of each arithmetic

sequence:

1) 7, 14, 21, 28, ... 1) 35, 42, 49

2) 3, 7, 11, 15, ... 2) 19, 23, 27

3) 24, 21, 18, 15, ... 3) 12, 9, 6

4) 5, 3, 1, − 1, ... 4) − 3, − 5, − 7

5) − 2, − 5, − 8, ... 5) − 11, − 14, − 17

6) − 20, − 17, − 14, ... 6) − 11, − 8, − 5

7) 2. 5, 2. 7, 2. 9, ... 7) 3. 1, 3. 3, 3. 5

8) 6. 25, 6. 15, 6. 05, ... 8) 5. 95, 5. 85, 5. 75

9) − 1. 5, − 3, − 4. 5, ... 9) − 6, − 7. 5, − 9

Group B Fill in the missing numbers for each

arithmetic sequence:

1) 5, 7, ..., ..., 13 1) 9, 11

2) 3, 8, ..., ..., 23 2) 13, 18

3) 19, 15, ..., ..., 3 3) 11, 7

4) 4, 1, ..., − 5, ... 4) − 2, − 8

5) ..., 5, 12, 19, ... 5) − 2, 26

6) ..., − 1, 1, ..., 5 6) − 3, 3

7) 36, ..., 54, ..., 72 7) 45, 63

8) 0. 05, ..., 0. 09, ...., ... 8) 0. 07, 0. 11, 0. 13

9) ..., ..., − 3. 4, ..., − 4. 2 9) − 2. 6, − 3. 0, − 3. 8

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GCSE Maths Revision | Algebra

Arithmetic Sequences - Answers

Group C Generate the first 5 terms for each

arithmetic sequence:

1) 3𝑛 1) 3, 6, 9, 12, 15

2) 4𝑛 + 1 2) 5, 9, 13, 17, 21

3) 5𝑛 − 3 3) 2, 7, 12, 17, 22

4) 2 + 𝑛 4) 3, 4, 5, 6, 7

5) 2𝑛 − 10 5) − 8, − 6, − 4, − 2, 0

6) 0. 5𝑛 6) 0. 5, 1, 1. 5, 2, 2. 5

7) 2. 5𝑛 + 1 7) 3. 5, 6, 8. 5, 11, 13. 5

8) 4 − 𝑛 8) 3, 2, 1, 0, − 1

9) 8 − 3𝑛 9) 5, 2, − 1, − 4, − 7

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 GCSE Maths Revision | Algebra

Arithmetic Sequences - Answers

Question Answer

Applied Questions

The first 5 terms in a sequence are

1)
4, 7, 10, 13, 16.

a) Show that the number 38 does not appear in a) 4, 7, 10, 13, 16, 19, 22,
the sequence. 25, 28, 31, 34, 37, 40

𝑡ℎ
b) David says “the 10 term in the sequence is b) 40 is the 13 term
𝑡ℎ

40 as 4 × 10 = 40”. Is David correct? Explain 𝑡ℎ

31 is the 10 term
your answer.

𝑡ℎ
c) The 100 term is 301. What is the value of c) 301 − 6 = 295
𝑡ℎ
the 98 term?
The first term in a sequence is 2𝑎 − 𝑏. The
2)
fifth term in the same sequence is 10𝑎 − 5𝑏.

𝑡ℎ
a) Calculate the 8 term in the sequence. a) 2𝑎 − 𝑏, 4𝑎 − 2𝑏, 6𝑎 − 3𝑏,
8𝑎 − 4𝑏, 10𝑎 − 5𝑏, 12𝑎 − 6𝑏,
14𝑎 − 7𝑏, 16𝑎 − 8𝑏

b) Write an expression for the sum of the first 5 b) 30𝑎 − 15𝑏

terms in the sequence.

c) When 𝑎 = 5 and 𝑏 =− 2, calculate the c) 12 × 24 = 288

product of the first and second terms of the
sequence.

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GCSE Maths Revision | Algebra

Arithmetic Sequences - Answers

3) a) Let 𝑇 represent a sequence where a)

𝑇 = 2𝑛 + 1. 𝑛 1 2 3 4 5

Complete the table for the values to generate 𝑇 3 5 7 9 11

the first 5 terms of the sequence of 𝑇.

b) Represent the sequence 𝑇 = 2𝑛 + 1 on a set b)

of axes.

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 GCSE Maths Revision | Algebra

Arithmetic Sequences - Mark Scheme

Question Answer

Exam Questions

1) 𝑡ℎ
The 𝑛 term of a sequence is 4𝑛 + 5.
(a) State the first 5 terms of the sequence. (a) At least 3 terms (1)
9, 13, 17, 21, 25 (1)
(b) Is 100 a term in the sequence? Show how (b) No. (1)
you calculate your answer. 100 is an even number and the numbers
in the sequence are odd (oe) (1)
2) Here are the first four terms of an 2 (1)
arithmetic sequence: 17 (1)
2, 7, 12, 17

Here are the first five terms of another

arithmetic sequence:
− 4, − 1, 2, 5, 8

Find two numbers that are in both number

sequences.
3) The first four terms of an arithmetic
sequence are:
3, 7, 11, 15
𝑡ℎ
The 20 term of the number sequence is
79.
(a) What is the sum of the 19𝑡ℎ and 21𝑠𝑡 (a) 75 and 83 seen (1)
terms? 75 + 83 = 158 or 79 × 2 = 158 (1)
(b) Alma says “the 30𝑡ℎ term is 110 as I (b) No (1)
𝑡ℎ
multiplied the third term by 10.” 30 term = 119 (1)

Is Alma correct? Yes or no? Explain your

answer.
4) Here are the first 5 terms in a sequence: All terms are odd (1)
1, − 5, − 11, − 17, − 23

Emily says,
“− 100 is not a number in this sequence”.
Explain why Emily is correct.

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GCSE Maths Revision | Algebra

Arithmetic Sequences - Mark Scheme

5) Here are some patterns made up of

different coloured sweets.

(a) In the space below, draw Pattern 5. (a) (1)

(b) Each blue sweet is worth 20𝑝. Each yellow (b) 8 × 15𝑝 (1)
sweet is worth 15𝑝. How much would it 8 × 15𝑝 + 20𝑝 (1)
cost to create Pattern 5 only? £1. 40 (1)

6) A basketball match is planned to take place

in a large stadium. The most expensive
tickets are in the first row. The ticket price
for each row forms an arithmetic series.
The first four rows are shown in the
following table.
Row Number 1 2 3 4

Price Per Seat £50 £47. 50 £45 £42. 50

(a) Write down the common difference, 𝑑. (a) £2. 50 (1)

(b) Calculate the price of a ticket in the 8𝑡ℎ (b) 52. 5 − 2. 5 (1)
row. £32. 50 (1)

(c) Find the total cost of buying 2 tickets on (c) 2 × 47. 5 = 95 (1)
row 2 and 5 tickets on row 6. 5 × (52. 5 − 2. 5(6)) = 187. 5 (1)
95 + 187. 5 = £282. 50 (1)

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